NASA Employee Reveals Dark Secrets Discovered On Mars

What is the doorway to Mars?

Image Source/ NASA

When NASA's Mars rover took a picture of this peculiar doorway in May 2022, the media went wild. Many wondered whether this may be yet another sign of life on Mars. However, NASA pointed out that it's just 29 centimeters tall, which is roughly the same as a dog door. Maybe there's small aliens!

The presence of the Martian worm

Image Source/ NASA

This picture, captured in 2018, shows what seems to be a massive crater on the surface of Mars, giving the impression that an enormous extraterrestrial worm might live there. Actually, though, It's a highly cratered area of Mars near the planet's equator. But who knows for sure?

A chance of plants on Mars

Image Source/ NASA

This picture, taken by the infamous Mars Curiosity rover, reveals a sandy flower creation on the surface of Mars. Abigail Fraeman, a planetary scientist, claimed that it wasn't quite the biological plant we expected. Apparently, it's created when minerals precipitate out of water.

A hole in Mars' surface

Image Source/ NASA

How can you truly determine that these images aren't actually evidence of another life form previously living on Mars? NASA employees have deduced that this hole specifically comes from lava bubbling up to the surface of Mars, but not everybody is convinced.

String left behind on Mars

Image Source/ NASA

The Mars Perseverance rover spotted an anomaly on the red planet. This picture of what seems to be rope on the surface of the planet was taken by the rover camera. Nasa, although, believes it to be debris from the landing and concludes that it was blown there. We're not convinced!

Potential tracks in the surface

Image Source/ NASA

These tracks look like they could have been left behind by vehicles or worm like creatures. However, dust devils often whip up dirt over the surface of Mars, much as they do on Earth. Long, shadowy streaks can be seen in this picture, marking the paths these whirlwinds took as they shifted the soil.

Mars is just one big brain

Image Source/ NASA

One of Mars' secrets seems to be this beautifully bizarre scene on the planet's surface, which has been dubbed the brain terrain. Mars is covered in ridges and troughs, creating a strangely textured landscape. It is thought that when water was transforming into a gas and rising to the surface, it created the strange formations.

Presence of crater tadpoles

Image Source/ NASA

This is quite the unusual sight! A crater following an impact has turned into a tadpole looking light. it's thought that the tail of the tadpole was probably water running out of the crater and flowing downhill... although it all sounds a little bit fishy (or froggy) to me.

Avalanches like Earth

Image Source/ NASA

This photo was taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in May 2019 and it managed to capture a formidable moment when an avalanche managed to engulf part of Mars' surface. Because the temperature increases around May, the ice vaporizes and loosens bedrock.

The journey from solid to gas

Image Source/ NASA

This high-res image shows a particular outstanding moment when the carbon dioxide ice on Mars managed to transform from a solid into a gas. The ice would end up being lost from one section and settle on nearby areas. It's amazing what we can see when it's so far away!

Ancient presence of water

Image Source/ Berkley Lab

One of the most shocking discoveries made by NASA is evidence of ancient waterways on Mars. The planet's surface shows features that suggest the presence of rivers, lakes, and possibly even an ocean in its distant past. Maybe the planet could support life?

The biggest volcano in our solar system

Image Source/ The Martian Wikis

Mars is home to Olympus Mons, the tallest volcano in our solar system. This massive shield volcano stands at a towering height, which is nearly three times the height of Mount Everest. It gives hope to the compatibility of the plant to host human life.

Canyons bigger than the Grand Canyon

Image Source/ CNN

Valles Marineris is an immense and giant canyon system on Mars that stretches for over 4,000 kilometers and plunges to depths of up to 7 kilometers. It completely dwarfs the Grand Canyon on Earth, and really is a breathtaking sight on the red planet!

The Ice Caps

Image Source/ Antarctic Glaciers

Mars possesses polar ice caps made of water and dry ice (which is frozen carbon dioxide). These caps expand and contract with the changing seasons, similar to how Earth's polar ice caps do the same. It begs the question as to whether there was a similar ice age.

Evidence of seasons

Image Source/ Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Mars experiences distinct seasons, similar to Earth, due to the tilt of it’s axis, much like how Earth is also tilted. These seasons can influence the planet's weather patterns and impact factors like the polar ice caps and the behavior of dust storms. It really is Earth’s sister.

Evidence of a habitable environment

Image Source/ iHeart

NASA's Curiosity rover, which landed in the Gale Crater, made some pretty groundbreaking discoveries. It found evidence of an ancient, potentially habitable environment within the crater. The rover detected key ingredients for life, including organic compounds, in the Martian soil.

Mars’ thin atmosphere

Image Source/ Science - Time

Mars apparently has a considerably thin atmosphere compared to Earth. This atmosphere is primarily composed of carbon dioxide, with smaller amounts of other gases. Unfortunately, its thinness challenges human exploration and habitability, meaning it’s unlikely we’ll be able to live there.

Storms lasting months

Image Source/ Smithsonian Magazine

Mars experiences dust storms regularly that can often engulf the entire planet! What’s even more breath-taking is that these storms can last for weeks or even months and have a significant impact on the planet's surface and atmosphere. It’s safe to say it’s made it difficult for the rovers during this time.

The first helicopter on Mars

Image Source/ Wikipedia

The Perseverance rover is actually equipped with a small helicopter called Ingenuity. In 2021, Ingenuity made history by successfully flying on another planet, opening up new possibilities for aerial exploration of Mars. Who knows what might be next? Richard Branson might just create a commercial airliner to go to Mars!

Why is there methane on Mars?

Image Source/ Jet Propulsion Laboratory

NASA's detective machines have detected occasional spikes of methane in Mars' atmosphere. This discovery has puzzled scientists, as methane can be produced by both geological and biological processes. Who knows what they might discover when they delve a little deeper?

Minerals have been found on Mars

Image Source/ Eos.org

Remote sensors on various spacecraft have identified a wide range of minerals on Mars, including clays. These mineral compositions offer clues about the planet's geological history and the presence of water in the past. It’s so important for us to understand the history of the planets in our solar system.

Mars’ exposure to radiation

Image Source/ NASA

Mars' thin atmosphere and lack of a strong magnetic field mean that its surface is exposed to higher levels of cosmic and solar radiation than Earth. Sorry, you don’t win this round Mars! It basically means it’s going to be a challenge for future human missions, as astronauts would need radiation protection.

Martian rocks found on Earth

Image Source/ PNGEgg

One of the most incredible things about experiencing Mars is that people don't even have to go there in order for us to test Martian rocks for substances. Instead, there are little pieces of Mars scattered around Earth probably from historic meteorites!

Mars is getting warmer

Image Source/ Washington University

Massive dust storms can play a role in the warming of Mars because they absorb and trap sunlight which will ultimately contribute to changes in the planet's climate. If we want to understand the climate history and trends of Mars more, it’s so important that the dust storms are studied.

The presence of Marsquakes

Image Source/ Universe Toady

NASA's InSight lander, equipped with a seismometer, has managed to detect some Marsquakes. These seismic events provide valuable information about the interior structure and activity of the planet, and also let us know that Mars isn’t so far removed from Earth.

Permafrost

Image Source/ NASA Visible Earth

Evidence of subsurface ice, or permafrost, was discovered on Mars! This frozen water resource could be crucial for future human missions, potentially providing water for drinking, growing plants, and producing rocket fuel. It thirty years, there might even be a colony there!

Radioactive surface

Image Source/ Reddit

Did you know that Mars' surface contains radioactive elements such as thorium and uranium? These radioactive elements can impact the planet's habitability by affecting its geology and radiation levels, which means yet another step we’d have to overcome if we were going to move there.

Did life ever exist on Mars?

Image Source/ CNN

Perseverance, the most recent rover, is on a mission to search for signs of past potential life and collect samples of Martian rock and soil for a future return to Earth. This marks an amazing step towards answering the question of whether life ever existed on Mars.

Can water be found on Mars?

Image Source/ The Conversation

One of the never-ending mysteries of Mars is whether there is water flowing on its surface. These flows can suggest the existence of subsurface aquifers. Understanding the source and nature of these flows is critical for our understanding of outer space and whether anyone is out there with us.

So what’s next?

Image Source/ Space.com

Mars exploration continues to evolve, and new discoveries are made regularly as missions like Perseverance and Mars Sample Return continue their scientific investigations. It’s always good to stay up to date with the findings and follow along; it affects us all.